The present invention relates generally to aeronautical vehicle systems, and more particularly, to a method and system for modularizing aircraft seating.
Aircraft passenger seating installation and attachment therein has remained mechanically uniform throughout aircraft industry. Most passenger aircraft use a similar installation system, which includes rigidly attaching a passenger seat assembly to an aircraft fuselage to prevent movement of the seat assembly during flight and in an event of a collision.
During installation, the passenger seat assembly is rigidly attached to an aircraft fuselage via a seat track. The seat track is attached to an aircraft frame or other rigid aircraft structure and extends in a fore and aft directions along a length of a passenger compartment. Counterbores exist at periodic increments along the seat track for installation of multiple passenger seat assemblies. A seat assembly includes a base containing multiple shear plugs. The seat assembly is typically pushed in a downward and forward direction relative to the seat track to insert the shear plugs on the seat assembly into the counterbores in the seat track. As the seat assembly is forced in a forward direction a forward portion of the base is inserted between a seat track lip and the seat track. The combination of the shear plugs locking within the counterbores and the presence of the seat track lips prevents movement of the seat assembly and provides structural restraint of the seat in the airplane.
Traditional passenger seating systems have multiple disadvantages. One disadvantage is that a single pair of seat track lips provide a limited amount of restraint and strength during a collision event. Therefore, to provide improved strength to retain a passenger seat, multiple seat track lips are required, which creates higher complexity in and more time involved to install a seat system.
Over time, passenger-seating systems have become increasingly complex, with an ever-increasing desire for more and more aircraft support systems to be incorporated. Some of the aircraft support systems are in-flight entertainment systems, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, emergency systems, assistance call systems, and lighting systems.
Also during installation each aircraft support system is electrically hard-wired or mechanically coupled to corresponding aircraft system components. Each aircraft support may have associated connectors and fasteners. Due to the increasing number of support systems, installation and removal of passenger seats has become more complex. Mechanical and electrical installation and removal entail significant labor and design costs. Additionally, maintenance and seat configuration change, such as changing seat pitch, are also labor intensive and costly.
Seat pitch refers to distance in a forward and aft direction between a point on a first seat assembly and the same point on a second seat assembly. The smaller the seat pitch, the more seating systems that may be incorporated into the passenger compartment. When seat pitch is changed many aircraft support system devices may no longer be able to attach to the aircraft support systems the aircraft system components, without altering, rewiring, or rerouting attachment mechanisms, or performing some other attachment or seating system adjustment. The additional labor to perform altering of the attachment mechanisms is also time intensive and costly.
Several aircraft support systems are not directly incorporated into a passenger seat system due to a potential for increased complexity, time, and labor that is involved in installation of the additional systems. It is desirable for the aircraft support systems to be incorporated into a seat system so as to be ergonomically accessible to passengers and reduce the amount of devices that exist in an over head panel. Labor to design and alter the aircraft support systems, within an over head panel, for various seat arrangements and the labor to manufacture the aircraft support systems into the aircraft are time intensive and costly. Incorporating the aircraft support systems into a seat system could potentially reduce the amount of systems that are designed into an aircraft structure.
Also aircraft system components may vary between aircraft, such that when transferring a seating system from a first aircraft to a second aircraft, support devices may again need to be altered to attach to the second aircraft.
It is therefore, desirable to provide an aeronautical seating system that minimizes complexity of and is less time consuming, user-friendly, and cost effective to install, remove, maintain, and reconfigure.
The present invention provides a method and system for modularizing aircraft seating. A modular seating system is provided. The seating system includes at least one seat assembly having a primary seat structure and an integrated base panel, which is mechanically coupled to and actuateable with the primary seat structure. A base structure is mechanically coupled to a vehicle support structure and includes at least one attachment mechanism. The seat assemblies are engageable with the attachment mechanisms.
A method of installing the seating system is also provided. The base structures are attached to the vehicle support structure. A forward portion of a first integrated seat panel is inserted between a rearward portion of a second integrated seat panel and the base structures. At least one seat leg is actuated to engage with at least one attachment mechanism in the base structures.
The present invention has several advantages over existing seating systems. One advantage of the present invention is that it allows single action connections without change to aircraft wiring, systems, or structure in a platform like structure that is mechanically attached to the seat primary structure.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows for seating installations to be performed or seating system configurations to be altered without causing aircraft support systems to be changed.
The aforementioned along with ease of installation minimizes the amount of time and labor intensity involved in installing and removing of the seat assembly.
Furthermore, the present invention allows aircraft support systems to be directly installed within a seat system and for various designs and combinations of features to be incorporated in a seat system without increasing complexity of installation.